‘Gravely irresponsible’: Council throws new roadblock at popular Sunday markets

The organisers of Morningside’s Rivermakers Farmers and Artisan Markets are fuming after Brisbane City Council rescinded approval for their plan to manage traffic for the event.

The markets were due to go ahead on Sunday with council originally approving the plan to have 16 traffic managers at the site. Now approval for the plan has been revoked.

The Rivermakers Market has caused a stir in the industrial neighbourhood.Credit: Goodwill Projects

Goodwill Projects director Mark Power, organiser of the event, said he was “stunned”.

“I said, ‘We’ve gone over and above trying to deliver this to rectify any of your concerns and you’ve rescinded it with one business day [before the event].’ It’s not cricket.”

The inaugural market on July 21 prompted a complaint to council from the neighbouring Australian Country Choice abattoir arguing that traffic from visitors to the market was preventing cattle trucks from accessing the abattoir.

On social media, market goers also complained about traffic jams and lack of parking at the market. Power said these problems had been addressed by the addition of 300 parking spots and the traffic management plan, initially approved by council.

The markets have added 300 parking spaces to help cope with the expected attendance, but a traffic management plan has been nixed by council.Credit: Goodwill Projects

A Council spokesperson said the traffic management plan was rescinded by council officers after a “significant discrepancy” was discovered between the plan and the event permit application.

“The event permit application proposed up to 10,000 attendees at the market, while the traffic management plan proposed 2000 visitors.

“The previous market held on July 21 attracted more than 7000 people,” they said.

Power said that he had been advised by council officers to apply for a permit for 5000 to 10,000 people.

“We said, ‘will this impact the traffic management plan?’ And they said ‘no it won’t’.

“I think it’s gravely irresponsible to not allow the traffic control there.”

Power, who has 19 years experience staging markets, said that the unexpected crowds proved that the area was crying out for a market.

“This is the only catchment area in Brisbane that does not have a weekly market. The situation we’ve found ourselves in is based on one single complainant,” he said.

“We don’t hold council to blame as it’s their job to act on behalf of all ratepayers, we understand they’re in a tough position.”

Australian Country Choice chief executive Anthony Lee said that the abattoir had “a dozen or more” multi-trailer cattle trucks arriving on Sunday.

“We are concerned about animal welfare issues if roads are significantly congested, like they were at the first market,” Lee said.

“We understand people enjoy markets, however, there are plenty of areas where this could occur in keeping with council zoning.”

The council spokesperson told this masthead that the markets had been issued an infringement related to the July 21 event.

“At this stage, the market operator still does not have an event permit while the land owner does not have the necessary development approvals,” they said.

On Friday afternoon, Power said that the event would still go ahead on Sunday but that it was “a moving thing”.